Marvel did us well, attaching fan-favorite, heavy-hitting authors to their Marvel Crime series of novels. Following Lisa Jewell and Alex Segura tackling Jessica Jones and Daredevil respectively, New York Times bestselling author S.A. Cosby delivers a dark and gritty crime story centered around Luke Cage with Truth to Power: A Luke Cage Marvel Crime Novel.
With advanced cybernetics showing up in the possession of low-level criminals, Luke Cage is hired to investigate a factory manufacturing medical devices in rural Virginia. Leaving Jessica Jones during a delicate moment in their relationship, he makes plans to travel south but is devastated to learn that a cousin who scoped out the plant for him has been found dead. The police report states it was an accident. But Luke has long known that official words are just that: words.
Fueled by guilt and vengeance, Luke arrives in Virginia and promises his aunt he’ll get to the bottom of things. But danger lurks in every living room, barroom, and country road of Majestic, and the local sheriff’s barely concealed prejudices are ready to boil to the surface. Even ordinary people seem to have no qualms about testing their might against the hero from New York City.
As Luke uncovers a conspiracy reaching to the county line and beyond, an persistent evil begins to take hold of the town, leaving Luke to hope that his unbreakable skin will protect him long enough to protect others and bring an end to the hate threatening to engulf the nation.
These Marvel Crime stories have been fantastic and Truth to Power is no different, Cosby crafts a story that ultimately feels like an S.A. Cosby tale, but also carries the vibe of the series so far. Like Breaking the Dark: A Jessica Jones Marvel Crime Novel, Truth to Power exits the typical New York City locale for these characters and transports him to Virginia, a place Cosby knows all too well. Setting this book in Virginia allows for race and a different culture to play a larger role, taking Cage out of his element a bit.
The characters featured in these Marvel Crime Novels are Defenders, those who hangout and fight crime in New York City. Even as a comic book fan, I find this more street-level characters more approachable, especially for those who’re not die-hard Marvel fans, but fans of Cosby’s writing. Having Truth to Power be more of a mystery-crime story and less a superhero adventure lets it stand out from the crowd.
Luke is out for vengeance, but also for what’s right. He cares a lot about people, even those who haven’t been in his life on a daily basis. Cosby gets to the heart of the character in Truth to Power and doesn’t just rely on the super-human aspects of his background. Luke has to fight with more than super-strength to solve the mystery and fight for the truth.
Truth to Power is another dark and mysterious crime story which fits perfectly in the series. S.A. Cosby delivers a hard-hitting story which strips away some of the super-human aspects of Luke Cage to dig deeper into the person beneath the unbreakable skin. Truth to Power: A Luke Cage Marvel Crime Novel is a street-live crime story with heart, emotion, and a deeper meaning.
Truth to Power: A Luke Cage Marvel Crime Novel hits bookstores everywhere on October 13, 2026 from Hyperion Avenue / Marvel.
